


A Little Fall of Rain

by idontbelieveinmountains



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Happy Ending, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 22:02:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17733467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idontbelieveinmountains/pseuds/idontbelieveinmountains
Summary: In which Qrow loses Oz, then finds him again.





	A Little Fall of Rain

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by this fanart by tumblr user lieu-rey https://lieu-rey.tumblr.com/post/181306903139/okay-so-i-was-thinking-about-how-qrow-probably-saw  
> Catch me on tumblr at i-dont-believe-in-mountains !

_“Get to the city!”_

  


_“But-”_

  


_“Now!”_

  


Qrow listened, even though he didn’t want to. He fought the Grimm alongside Glynda, but in the back of his mind he couldn’t stop thinking about Oz, alone in the tower. He only grew more worried when the giant wyvern started heading that same way. He wanted to tell himself that it would be fine, that Oz was hundreds of years old and stronger than anyone or anything that might face him tonight. For the gods’ sake, he could use _magic_. But that wasn’t enough. Whoever was taking part in this attack was no doubt after the relic, and Qrow knew that Oz would protect it with his life. And that was the problem. Oz would have no qualms about laying down his own life to protect the crown, and Qrow could not let that happen. As soon as the Atlesian knights powered down, he took off flying.  
  
From up above, he could see all the wreckage. Buildings torn apart by Grimm, students lying wounded or dead at every corner. After the crash of Ironwood’s ship, it seemed like the fight was dying down. But then Qrow heard it; a loud crash coming directly from Beacon Tower. He shifted back into human form and began sprinting. When he made it inside, he noticed that the elevator to the vault wasn’t working. Instead he had to take the long spiral staircase that none but him and a few others in Oz’s inner circle knew about. When he was about halfway down he realized that it was quiet - too quiet. His heart raced, his legs moved at an astonishing speed seemingly on their own until he finally made it to the vault.  
But he was too late.  
  
“Oz!”, Qrow yelled, running towards the bloodied body on the floor. This was bad. He dropped to his knees, cradling Ozpin’s body in his arms. “Oz get up. Come on, Oz, you have to get up.” His voice shook as he gently held Ozpin’s head upwards, being sure to keep his other hand on his pulse. It was still beating, but slowly. Then, Ozpin’s eyes gradually began to open, struggling to focus on the younger man above him.  
  
“...Qrow?”, he managed to get out weakly.  
  
“Yes, Oz, it’s me. I’m here, I’ve got you, Oz.” Ozpin blinked slowly and smiled.  
  
“You always do.” Ozpin looked up at Qrow like he was the most beautiful thing in all of Remnant. He gave Qrow that same sad smile, placing his hand over the one Qrow had resting on his bloody cheek. He gave it a weak squeeze. “Qrow, take my cane. Please.”  
  
“No, Oz don’t say that, I’m going to get you out of here I -”  
  
“There’s no time. This body...can’t hold me much longer... I’m sorry.” Ozpin mustered the last bit of his energy to give Qrow one final kiss. “I’ll see you soon, my darling. I love you.”  
  
Ozpin’s pulse slowed, and eventually came to a stop. That was it. He was gone. There was nothing Qrow could do. So he wept.  
  
\---

...Was it over?  
  
There was a flash, then a scream. And now the red sky rains down rubble as all of those who have been fighting this battle take in the blur that is this moment. Qrow was no longer in Salem’s castle, at some point he had been transported to the god of light’s domain. His eyes took a moment to readjust, and when they did and he managed to pull himself upright, the god of light himself stood before him. Qrow simply stared at the deity, slack-jawed in awe. The god stood there calmly, hands clasped before him. “Qrow Branwen”, he said in a soft, yet deep and resounding voice. “You have done well”, he continued.  
  
The last thing Qrow remembered was everyone fighting Salem in the castle of her domain. Oscar was glowing a bright green, using his magic to its full potential for the first time. Then Ruby used her eyes against Salem. That’s when everything changed. Next thing Qrow knew, he was here.  
  
“What is this, where is everyone?”, Qrow said, suddenly realizing that the two of them were the only ones here. He searched around frantically for Ruby and Yang.  
  
“The children are safe, and I will speak with all of them shortly. The area we currently stand on exists outside the realm of time and space. We may take as long as we need.”, the god said. His featureless face was unreadable.  
  
“But why am I here?”, Qrow asked. Ruby or Oscar he could understand, but himself? Why would the god of light single _him_ out?  
  
“You are close with the man now known as Ozpin, correct?”, the god asked. Qrow’s heart twinged at that. He started to wonder if the god only brought him here to taunt him. Despite everything, Qrow couldn’t help but blame himself for Ozpin’s death. He should have seen it coming, the signs were all there. He knew their enemy was in Vale. He knew they had a maiden on their side. He knew that Salem was after the relic. He never should have left Ozpin alone in the first place.  
  
“Yeah”, he replied, averting his gaze downward. His stomach dropped. “Is he...gone?”, Qrow asked, dreading the answer. The god of light did not reply, and instead shifted the discussion.  
  
“When my brother and I created human beings, we made the decision to create them in our own image. We thought that in doing so, humans would have the potential to become perfect, like gods. In time we realized we were wrong. We gave the humans many gifts, and these gifts allowed them to do great things. However, said gifts were the very things that allowed humanity to be flawed. As the original holders of these gifts, this meant that my brother and I must be flawed as well. This knowledge has lead me to realize that the task I placed upon Ozma was destined to fail. Which is why I have decided to compensate for my error by giving him a choice. A true choice. He would either be allowed to live out the rest of his life as a mortal, or to be put to rest now.”  
  
Qrow couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and before he could say a word in response, the god of light faded away. In his wake was something even less fathomable. It was Ozpin. Right there, in the flesh, glasses and all. They both just stood there for a moment, staring at each other in shock. “...Oz?”, Qrow said, convinced that this couldn’t possibly be real. He had to be dead, or hallucinating, or perhaps this was just his semblance at its most powerful. He could think of nothing he wanted more than to see Ozpin again, but there was no way this could actually be happening.  
  
But it was. Without warning, Ozpin sprinted towards Qrow and held him as tight as he could. Qrow could feel Ozpin shaking and crying, and it wasn’t long before he joined in, burying his face in the other man’s shoulder. “I missed you so much”, Ozpin said tearfully. They stayed like that for who knows how long, each relishing in the feeling of holding each other again. It had been years now since Ozpin died. Qrow never thought this possible, but a part of him always held a secret hope. Crazier things had happened before, and it seemed as though they would only keep happening. Qrow could live with that if it meant having Oz again. He finally pulled away, but never fully let go. He wasn’t sure he ever would again.  
  
“Oz, how-?”  
  
“It was as the god of light said. He separated my aura from Oscar’s and gave me a choice. I could die now, or get a new body and live out the rest of my life. I chose to stay here, with you.” Ozpin smiled at him. It wasn’t a sad smile. His eyes were filled with so much warmth, a warmth that Qrow hadn’t seen in so long. Words simply could not describe how much he had missed Ozpin. He was everything, he gave Qrow a life and a purpose when no one else wanted him. Oz never cared about Qrow’s semblance, he took it all in stride. They leaned on each other, and now Oz even threw away the chance for peaceful rest just to be with Qrow. He took Ozpin’s face in both of his hands and kissed him.  
  
“I love you”, he said. It had been so very long since he had said that.  
  
“I love you too.”


End file.
